Thin film with MEMS probe circuits and MEMS thin film probe head using the same

ABSTRACT

A flexible one-piece thin film with microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) probe circuits has a flexible non-conducting dielectric layer made from polyimide or silica, various electrical circuits arranged in multi-layered structure all embedded inside the dielectric layer, plural probes and circuit contacts protected by the dielectric layer from damage by way of one end embedded into the dielectric layer in connection with the electrical circuits respectively and the other end protruded out of the dielectric layer, and a raised probe supported-spacer disposed on the dielectric layer to form a buffer to the probes to prevent the probe from being exposed to much pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thin film with MEMS probe circuits,and more particularly, to an integral structure of a flexible thin filmintegrated with various electrical circuits, plural probes and circuitcontacts, a raised probe supported-spacer, and dielectric layers as awhole.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With the rapid development of the semiconductor technology, manyconsumed electronics products are getting smaller and smaller andprovided with higher density of the integrated circuit as well asrelevant electronic components, more pins, and shorter pin spacing.Moreover, due to the improvement on packaging technology, a contact isno longer arranged on the periphery of an integrated circuit but as anarray. In the meantime, a contact pad, such as a tin ball or a goldbump, is used as material for contacts on a semiconductor surface,rather than a simple aluminum pad. Due to wireless communication timesbeing coming, it means the electronic products are required for highercomputation speed now. With a result, the difficulty is increased inimplementation of high frequency tests and the development for theindustry is then encountered some bottlenecks in capacity, cost, andfuture technology.

The structure of current wafer test card has been improved to solve theproblems in test technology by increasing test speed, reducing test costand reducing risk of misjudging good products. Therefore, the currentwafer test card has developed from traditional cantilever probe cards tovarious vertical probe cards, rigid microelectro-mechanical systems(MEMS) probe cards and thin film test cards.

Difficulty in implementing an array test is improved substantially withthe vertical probe card. However, the vertical probe card is expensiveand difficult to make. Moreover, spacing above 100 μm is mainly used forthe test of contact pads and it is difficult to create smaller spacing.

The kind of rigid MEMS probe used for rigid MEMS systems probe card isfabricated on a multi-layer ceramic substrate using semiconductorprocess technology. Difficulty in being arranged as an array andimplementing high frequency tests has been removed by using the rigidMEMS probe card. However, since the rigid probe is inflexible and toomuch rigid, the contact pad of an item to be tested will be crushedeasily if the contact pressure between the rigid probe and the contactpad is too high. Moreover, if a surface of the rigid probe or contactpad is uneven, the probe will not be easily in contact with the contactpad due to the inflexibility of the probe.

FIG. 1 a shows the structure of a currently used thin film test card 20.A probe or metal bump 21 is fabricated on a contact which is placed onthe surface of a flexible circuit thin film or a flexible circuit 28 ofany kind.

Without a covered structure around the probe 21 to enhance strength, theprobe 21 of the thin film test card 20 is attached to the surface of theflexible circuit 28 with the bottom of the probe 21 so that thestructure of the probe 21 of the thin film test card 21 become is quiteunstable at all. When exposed to pressure, as shown in FIG. 1 b, theprobe 21 will be easily crooked or sunken, which results in incorrecttest results.

On the other hand, the probe 21 of the thin film test card 20 afterbeing fabricated is usually installed in a protecting holder. However,since the circuit board 28 is so flexible and on the back surfaceopposite to the surface installed the probe 21 of the flexible circuit28 is not provided with any supported blocks or fixing mechanismthereof, the probe 21 becomes crooked or uneven if the flexible circuit28 is bent as shown in FIG. 1 c, resulted in that the assembly of thinfilm test card 20 will be more difficult.

Since the probe 21 of the thin film card 20 has the above mentionedshortcomings in structure and is not easily arranged as an array, theavailability of the thin film test card 20 for test purpose is limitedand the test card 20 is only applicable to the test of products orpanels with contact pads arranged around ICs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a flexiblethin film with MEMS probe circuit which is using semiconductortechnology to form a one-piece structure integrated with variouselectrical circuits, plural probes and circuit contacts, a raised probesupported spacer, and dielectric layer as a whole, wherein theelectronic circuits are all embedded inside the dielectric layer of thethin film; plural probes and circuit contacts are provided with one endembedded into the dielectric layer in connection with the electricalcircuits respectively and the other end protruded out of the dielectriclayer, and a raised probe supported-spacer disposed on the dielectriclayer to form a buffer to the probes, so that the probes of the flexiblethin film shall be covered and protected by the dielectric layer andshall be stable, straight, and not easily damaged.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a process forproducing the thin film, which by using semiconductor process technologycomprises steps of: providing a flatted process substrate; forming aseparable interface on the flatted process substrate; forming a probecircuit thin film with electric circuits; probes and circuit contacts onthe separable interface; forming a raised probe supported-spacer on theprobe circuit thin film; separating the probe circuit thin film from theprocess substrate; and processing a subsequent microstructure working toobtain a thin film with MEMS probe circuits.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a MEMS probehead by combining a thin film with MEMS probe circuits with a testprinted circuit board, which MEMS probe head is applicable to flip-chipsubstrate tests, bare die tests, liquid crystal display panel tests.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a kind of conventional thin film testcard to show the thin film test card is easily sunken if probes of thetest card are exposed to pressure;

FIGS. 2 a to 2 f are several kinds of structural diagrams of a thin filmwith MEMS probe circuit of the present invention to show the inventedflexible and one-piece thin film of the present invention usingsemiconductor technology integrated with plural probes, electricalcircuits, circuit contacts, a probe supported-spacer, and dielectriclayer as a whole;

FIG. 3 shows a thin film with MEMS probe circuit of the presentinvention being applicable for flip-chip substrate tests;

FIGS. 4 a to 4 b show a process for producing one-piece thin film withMEMS probe circuits of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 b show a thin film with MEMS probe circuits has beingseparated from a process substrate that will not bend, expand, ordistort during the process;

FIG. 6 to FIG. 10 shows another method of fabricating a probesupported-spacer to a thin film with MEMS probe circuits;

FIG. 11 shows a thin film with MEMS probe circuits of the presentinvention being applicable to bare die tests.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 f, a thin film 100 withmicroelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) probe circuits of the inventionis an one-pieced flexible thin film which is by using semiconductorprocess technology stacked with multi-layered flexible non-conductingdielectric materials 31 (or called dielectric layers 31) to have theone-pieced flexible thin film 100 of the invention integrated withplural probes 32, electrical circuits 33, circuit contacts 34, a probesupported-spacer 35, and dielectric layer(s) 31 as an integralstructure.

Since the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the invention isfabricated by using semiconductor process technology, various kinds ofmulti-layered thin films with different functions can be fabricated asan integral structure in accordance with any requirements and purpose.However, each thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the inventionhas an identical basic structural feature, i.e., which is integratedwith plural probes 32, electrical circuits 33, circuit contacts 34, aprobe supported-spacer 35, and dielectric layer(s) 31 to form anone-pieced structure. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 f, theelectrical circuit 33 is embedded in the dielectric layer 31; the probes32 and circuit contacts 34 are embedded in the dielectric layer 31 toform an electrical connection to the electrical circuit 33, and each oneend of the probes 32 and the circuit contacts 34 are protruded out ofthe thin film 100; particularly, the probe supported-spacer 35 withfunction to support the probes is protruded from and disposed on thebackside opposite to the side of the thin film 100 protruding out of theend of the probes 32.

The primary purpose for installing the probe supported-spacer 35disposed on the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the inventionis to fix and support the probes 32 and keep the probes 32 always inflat state, and the secondary purpose for installing the probesupported-spacer 35 is to provide flexibility as well as convenience forassembly, make the assembled probes 32 capably higher than othersurfaces, and form a buffer for the probes 31.

Metals, such as copper, gold, aluminum, tungsten, silver, or an alloythereof, can be used for an electrical circuit 33 embedded inside thethin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the invention. Metals, such asnickel, chromium, titanium, platinum, beryllium, or an alloy thereof,can serve as a protection layer for covering a circuit lead. Moreover,various kinds of electrical circuit 33 with any different functionalcomponents may be embedded and arranged into the dielectric layer(s) 31of the thin film 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 c, a capacitor 55and a resistance 56 are added in the electrical circuit 33 to increasecircuit functions of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of theinvention when designing the electrical circuit 33. As shown in FIG. 2 aor FIG. 2 d, an electrical circuit 33 may be arranged as a multi-layeredcircuit layout depending on your requirements. Moreover, as shown inFIG. 2 a, a grounding layer 71 may be fabricated for a multi-layeredelectrical circuit 33 to avoid electrical interference.

The circuit contacts 34 of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits ofthe invention may or may not pass through the thin film 100 inaccordance with your requirements.

The probes 32 of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of theinvention is capably fabricated into a vertical probe as shown in FIG. 2b, or a cantilever probe as shown in FIG. 2 e in accordance with yourrequirements. Moreover, the head of the probe 32 as shown in FIG. 2 f iscapably fabricated into a mosaic head 32 a or 32 b, an embedded head 32c or 32 d, or a hybrid head 32 e. The head of the probe 32 may be formedon the same side with or on the opposite side to that of the circuitcontact 34 of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of theinvention.

Metals, such as tungsten, nickel, chromium, gold, or an alloy thereof,may be used as the material for the probe(s) 32, and technologies, suchas electroplating, chemical plating, chemical vapor deposition, andsputtering, may be used to cover the probe(s) 32 with other metals, suchas chromium, rhodium, platinum, titanium, and beryllium copper.

Particularly, the rear ends of the probes 32 and the circuit contacts 34of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the invention areembedded in the dielectric layer(s) 31 and tightly covered with thedielectric layer(s) 31; thereby, the dielectric layers(s) 31 of the thinfilm 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the invention is not only a stablestructure to cover the probe(s) 32 and the circuit contact(s) 34, but aprotection structure to prevent the probe(s) 32 and the circuitcontact(s) 34 from damage.

Furthermore, the probes 32 of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuitsare capably arranged as an array through multi-layered electric circuits33. As shown in FIG. 3, when the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuitsof the invention and a printed circuit 26 are assembled into a MEMS thinfilm probe head 110, the kind of MEMS thin film probe head 110 with aprobe supported-spacer 35 to support the probes 32 kept in flat stateshall be used for various advanced flip-chip substrate tests.

As shown in FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b, the process for producing the thinfilm 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the present invention is applied tosemiconductor process technologies including the removing technology andstacking technology applied for the dielectric layer and metal circuitlayer, metal and non-metal growth, photo-resist and lithographtechnologies, picture transforming technology, chemical mechanicalpolishing (CMP) technology and ion implantation technology.

Thus, a kind of thin film 100 made and obtained from the inventedprocess of the invention shall be an one-pieced flexible thin film 100with MEMS probe circuits which is embedded various kinds of electriccircuits 33 inside a flexible multi-layered dielectric layers 31 andparticularly integrated those microstructures of vertical or cantileverprobes 32, circuit contacts 34 and probe supported-spacer 35 togetherwith the dielectric layers 31 having the electric circuits 33 inside asan integral structure.

The process for producing the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits ofthe present invention comprises steps of:

-   (a) providing a process substrate 30;    -   Since the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the present        invention is flexible, a flat and rigid substrate should be        selectively used as a process substrate 30 for using        semiconductor process technology to produce the thin film 100        with MEMS probe circuits and to prevent the thin film 100 with        MEMS probe circuits (hereinafter referred to as probe circuit        thin film 90) from bending, expanding, or distorting during the        process.    -   A flatted substrate, such as a ceramic, silicon, quartz and        aluminum alloy, may be used as the process substrate 30 of the        present invention.-   (b) processing a separable interface 39 to be used to separate the    process substrate 30 in the subsequent process;    -   Although the flatted process substrate 30 is required to prevent        the probe circuit thin film 90 from bending, expanding, or        distorting during the process, the probe circuit thin film 90        must be separated from the process substrate 30 in the        subsequent process. Various separable interfaces should be        formed between the process substrate 30 and the probe circuit        thin film 90 in advance for separating the process substrate 30        from the probe circuit thin film 90 in the subsequent process.    -   There are two ways to form the required separable interface 39.        First way to form a separable interface is to control the        adhesion of interface between two layers such as by forming a        bad adhesion between two layers. As shown in FIG. 4 b, two        layers of polyimide (PI) 41 are applied on the surface of the        process substrate 30. When applying the first layer of polyimide        41, an adhesive is added and temperature and time for hard        baking and solidification will be properly controlled. However,        when applying the second layer of polyimide 41, no adhesive is        added and the temperature and time for hard baking and        solidification will be properly controlled. When doing so, the        adhesion between the first layer of polyimide 41 and the second        layer of polyimide 41 will be bad to form a separable interface        39.    -   Second way to form a separable interface is to add an easily        removable material between the process substrate 30 and the        probe circuit thin film 90.-   (c) forming a probe circuit thin film 90 with the prefabricated    electrical circuit(s) 33, probe(s) 32 and circuit contact(s) 34 on    the separable interface 39 after the step (b) is completed;    -   As shown in FIG. 4 b, after a dielectric layer 31 is formed on        the interface 39 of the process substrate 30, various grooves        are capably formed on each stacked dielectric layer 31 by using        the semiconductor process technologies including the dielectric        layer stacked technology, metal circuit layer formed technology,        metal and non-metal growth and removing technology, photo-resist        and lithograph technologies and picture transforming technology        applied to each stacked dielectric layer 31. After metal        materials are filled into the groove formed on each stacked        dielectric layer 31, various patterns prefabricated on the metal        materials are formed using photo-resist and lithograph        technologies and then the metal materials are processed        according to etching or electroplating process to make the probe        circuit thin film 90 provided with electric circuit(s) 33 inside        the dielectric layer(s) 31 and some microstructures of the        probes 32 or/and circuit contacts 34 electrically connected with        the electric circuits 33 respectively.-   (d) forming a raised probe supported-spacer 35 on the probe circuit    thin film 90 after the step (c) of the probe circuit thin film 90 is    completed;    -   The probe circuit thin film 90 has a raised probe        supported-spacer 35 to support and fix the probes 32 and keep        the probes 32 in flat;-   (e) separating the probe circuit thin film 90 from the process    substrate 30 by destroying the separable interface 39 between the    process substrate 30 and the probe circuit thin film 90;    -   As shown in FIG. 5 a, the separable interface 39 is formed by a        bad adhesion between the process substrate 30 and the probe        circuit thin film 90; thereby, the process substrate 30 and the        probe circuit thin film 90 can be separated with a steel knife        44 cutting in a slant angle.    -   Or, as shown in FIG. 5 b, a separable interface 39 b between the        process substrate 30 and the probe circuit thin film 90 is        formed by adding an easily removable material. A plurality of        the openings leading to the surface of the separable interface        39 b is fabricated to let the etchant permeate and etch        horizontally until the process substrate 30 and the probe        circuit thin film 90 are separated.-   (f) processing subsequent microstructure's working to the probe    circuit thin film 90 to obtain a thin film 100 with MEMS probe    circuits.    -   After the process substrate 30 and the probe circuit thin film        90 are separated, the microstructures of the probe circuit thin        film 90 will be processed, including making the microstructures        exposed by removing unnecessary materials or refining the        microstructures; thereby, the probe circuit thin film 90 will be        processed into a flexible thin film 100 with MEMS probe        circuits.

When a probe supported-spacer 35 is fabricated for the probe circuitthin film 90 in the step (e), one of a ceramic, silicon, silicide,glass, quartz, rubber, plastics, compounds, such as epoxy, polymers,metal or an alloy thereof, and even a stacked compounds may be used asthe material for the probe supported-spacer 35; the methods offabricating probe supported-spacer 35 include:

-   1. Before destroying the separable interface 39 in the step (e) or    proceeding to the step (f), attach a prefabricated probe    supported-spacer 35 to the probe circuit thin film 90;    -   As shown in FIG. 6, attach the probe supported-spacer 35, such        as a silicon plate, ceramics plate, rubber pad, or metal plate,        to a surface of a probe circuit thin film 90 using various        adhesion technologies before a process substrate 30 and a probe        circuit thin film 90 are separated or proceeding to the step        (f).    -   Moreover, a rigid or flexible adhesive or material may be used        to attach the probe supported-spacer 35 to the surface of the        probe circuit thin film 90 so that the probe 32 has a rigid or        flexible characteristic, and various test requirements are met.-   2. Before a separable interface 39 is removed, grooves are formed    with a photoresist material and fill the material to form a probe    supported-spacer 35 into the grooves;    -   As shown in FIG. 7, grooves and the area for a probe        supported-spacer 35 are formed with a photoresist 36 using the        lithograph technology before a separable interface 39 is        removed. Then, the material used to form a probe        supported-spacer 35, such as nickel, cobalt, copper and gold, is        filled into the grooves, and when the photoresist 36 is removed        the probe supported-spacer 35 is then left.-   3. Before destroying a separable interface 39 in the step (e), fill    a material used to form a probe supported-spacer 35 into the grooves    on a halftone using halftone technology;    -   As shown in FIG. 7, before the separable interface 39 is        removed, a halftone 43 will be attached to a surface of the        probe circuit thin film 90. Then, the material used to form the        probe supported-spacer 35, such as rubber or epoxy, will be        filled into holes on a halftone 43, which will be removed to        have the probe supported-spacer 35 left later.-   4. Before destroying a separable interface 39 in the step (e),    fabricate a supported-spacer layer 37 in advance and remove    unnecessary parts to fabricate a probe supported-space 35;    -   As shown in FIG. 8, before the separable interface 39 is        removed, various flexible materials or metal materials are used        to prefabricate the supported-spacer layer 37 in advance and the        photoresist 36 is used to define the area of the probe        supported-spacer 35 using lithograph technology. After the        unnecessary parts are removed and the probe supported-spacer 35        is formed, the photoresist 36 will be removed to have the probe        supported-spacer 35 left.-   5. Fabricate a probe supported-spacer 37 in advance and remove the    unnecessary parts before proceeding to the step (f) and then    fabricate a probe supported-spacer 35    -   As shown in FIG. 9, a supported-spacer layer 37 is prefabricated        on a probe circuit thin film 90 and an etching mask 37 is        retained to define the area of the probe supported-spacer 35.        When the probe circuit thin film 90 and a process substrate 30        are separated and the step (f) is proceeding, the unnecessary        parts of the supported-spacer layer 37 are removed using the        etching mask 37 a to fabricate a probe supported-spacer 35.-   6. If a dielectric layer 31 of a probe circuit thin film 90 is used    as a supported-spacer layer, a probe supported-spacer 35 of a probe    circuit thin film 90 may be formed by removing the unnecessary parts    before destroying a separable interface 39 in the step (e) and    proceeding to the step (f);    -   As shown in FIG. 10, a dielectric layer 31 of the probe circuit        thin film 90 is used as a supported-spacer layer. An etching        mask 37 a is used to remove the dielectric layer 31 with a probe        supported-spacer 35 left before destroying the separable        interface 39. Moreover, the etching mask 37 a may or may not be        removed.    -   The etching mask 37 a is retained in the dielectric layer 31 to        define the area for the probe supported-spacer 35 when        processing the probe circuit thin film 90.

A thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the invention has followingadvantages when fabricated using the above-mentioned process:

-   1. The electric circuits 33 with electric resistance, capacitance,    inductance, or other electric components and the MEMS components    including plural probes 32 or/and circuit contacts 34 shall be    integrated as an integral structure to obtain an one-pieced flexible    thin film with MEMS probe circuits.-   2. The thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits with a flat process    substrate 30 shall not bend, expend, or distort in the manufactured    process so that the final product of thin film 100 with MEMS probe    circuits is very flat.-   3. The probe(s) 32 and circuit contact(s) 34 can be arranged on one    side or both sides of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits so    that the thin film 100 can be used widely.-   4. Most body of the probe 32 even protruded out of the thin film 100    is covered and protected by the dielectric layer 31 to make the    probe 32 constituted an integral structure with the thin film 100 so    that the probe 32 of the thin film 100 is so stable and straight and    not easily damaged.-   5. Electric circuits 33 may be formed as multi-layered structure    inside the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits so that the space    distanced between probes 32 can be spaced less than 20 μm and the    probes 32 can be arranged in a high density and an array manner.-   6. A grounding layer can be fabricated between two electric circuits    33 to prevent electrical interference so that a high-frequency    electrical circuit 33 can be fabricated.-   7. The thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits has contained a probe    supported-spacer 35 structure before the thin film 100 is separated    from the process substrate 30 so that the thin film 100 can keep    flat with the probe 32 and the difficulty in assembly will be    decreased.-   8. The thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits contains a flexible    probe supported-spacer 35 to form a flexible buffer to the probes    32. When the probe 32 is exposed to pressure, pressure will be    transferred to and absorbed by the probe supported-spacer 35 so that    the probe 32 of the thin film 100 is very durable.-   9. The probe 32 of the thin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits can    have a rigid or flexible characteristic by using a rigid or flexible    adhesive and the probe supported-spacer 35 to meet various test    requirements.

As to applications, as shown in FIG. 3, the electric circuit 33 of thethin film 100 with MEMS probe circuits of the present invention can beconnected to the circuit 23 of a test printed circuit board 26 tointegrate into a kind of MEMS thin film probe head 110; thereby, theMEMS thin film probe head 110 can be installed on various structures forvarious tests.

Particularly, in addition to the flexibility, the thin film 100 withMEMS probe circuits of the present invention contains a probesupported-spacer 35 as a flexible buffer. Therefore, when used fortesting, the MEMS thin film probe head 110 not only bears the pressuretransferred from the probe 32, but also provides an adjusting functionto compensate the drop height of the probes 32 of the thin film 100.Even if the object to be test is not flat, the MEMS thin film probe head110 of the present invention can be still operated normally.

The MEMS thin film probe head 110 of the present invention can be usedwidely, when the test printed circuit board is selected a kind ofprinted circuit board applicable for flip-chip substrate tests, bare dietest, liquid crystal display panel test, or memory test, the MEMS thinfilm probe head 110 of the present invention shall be applicable forflip-chip substrate test, bare die test, liquid crystal display paneltest, or memory test respectively.

For example, the FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the MEMS thin film probehead 110 of the present invention used for the flip-chip substrate test.This test system includes a set of the MEMS thin film probe head 110 andanother set of the lower test device 115 that is based on the thin film100 with MEMS probe circuits of the present invention. When testing, aflip-chip substrate 63 is inserted into a clamping holder 62 and theprobes 32 of the lower test device 115 is electrically connected toupper circuit contacts 27 of the flip-chip substrate 63. Then, the probe32 of the MEMS thin film probe head 110 is electrically connected to theupper circuit contacts 27 of the flip-chip substrate 63 to form acircuit from the flip-chip substrate 63 to a tester 50 in the testsystem.

When a circuit is formed in this system, power and signals istransmitted from the tester 50 to the flip-chip substrate 63 by theprobe 32 of the test system to test whether the circuit of the flip-chipsubstrate 63 is good or not.

The FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the MEMS thin film probe head 110 ofthe present invention used for the bare die test. The probe 32 of theMEMS thin film probe head 110 is electrically connected to theconnection pad 18 of the die 17 to form a circuit from the die 17 to thetester 50.

When a circuit is formed, power and signals can be transmitted from thetester 50 to the die 17 to be tested through the MEMS thin film probehead 110 of the present invention. After being processed via integratedcircuit of the die 17, signals will transmit to the tester 50. Productscan be determined as good or bad by signals transmitted back to and readby the tester 50.

Although the above mentioned embodiments show some details of thepresent invention, not all of the embodiments of the present inventionare described. Various thin films with MEMS probe circuits or the MEMSthin film probe head and applications that are based on the technologiesof the present invention are related to the claims of the presentinvention.

1. A one-pieced flexible thin film with MEMS probe circuits comprises aflexible multi-layered non-conducting dielectric layer made frompolyimide or silica, various electrical circuits arranged inmulti-layered structure all embedded inside the dielectric layer, pluralvertical rigid probes and circuit contacts all covered and protected bythe dielectric layer with structure of one end embedded into thedielectric layer in connection with the electrical circuits respectivelyand the other end protruded out of the dielectric layer, and a raisedprobe supported-spacer disposed on the backside opposite to the side ofdielectric layer to form a buffer to the probes.
 2. The thin film withMEMS probe circuits according to claim 1, wherein a grounding layer toprevent electrical interference is fabricated in between the electricalcircuits.
 3. The thin film with MEMS probe circuits according to claim1, wherein the electrical circuits embedded inside the dielectric layercontains electric resistance, capacitance, inductance, or otherelectrical circuit components.
 4. The thin film with MEMS probe circuitsaccording to claim 1, wherein the probe is made from Tungsten, Nickel,Chromium, Gold, or an alloy thereof.
 5. The thin film with MEMS probecircuits according to claim 4, wherein the probes is provided with amosaic head, an embedded head, or a hybrid head.
 6. The thin film withMEMS probe circuits according to claim 4, wherein the probe is furthercovered with Chromium, Rhodium, Platinum, Titanium, or Beryllium Copper.7. The thin film with MEMS probe circuits according to claim 1, whereinthe raised probe supported-spacer is made from Ceramic, Silicon,Silicide, Glass, Quartz, Rubber, Plastics, Compounds, Epoxy, Polymers,or Metal or an alloy thereof.
 8. A one-pieced flexible MEMS thin filmprobe head for a test device comprising a one-pieced flexible thin filmwith MEMS probe circuits, and a test printed circuit board being inelectrical connection with the thin film, wherein the thin filmcomprises a flexible multi-layered non-conducting dielectric layer madefrom polyimide or silica, various electrical circuits in multi-layeredstructure all embedded inside the dielectric layer, plural verticalrigid probes and circuit contacts all covered and protected by thedielectric layer with structure of one end embedded into the dielectriclayer in connection with the electrical circuits respectively and theother end protruded out of the dielectric layer, and a raised probesupported-spacer disposed on the backside opposite to the side ofdielectric layer to form a buffer to the probes.
 9. The MEMS thin filmprobe head according to claim 8, wherein the test printed circuit boardis a kind of printed circuit board applicable for flip-chip substratetests.
 10. The MEMS thin film probe head according to claim 8, whereinthe test printed circuit board is a kind of printed circuit boardapplicable for bare die tests.
 11. The MEMS thin film probe headaccording to claim 8, wherein the test printed circuit board is a kindof printed circuit board applicable for liquid crystal display paneltests.
 12. The MEMS thin film probe head according to claim 8, whereinthe test printed circuit board is a kind of printed circuit boardapplicable for memory tests.